Senecio plant named ‘Sene Nina 55’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Senecio  plant named ‘Sene Nina 55’, characterized by its compact, upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; and daisy-type inflorescences with ray florets that are purplish red in color and white towards the base forming a central ring.

Botanical designation: Senecio cruentus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SENE NINA 55’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Senecio plant, botanically known as Senecio cruentus, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sene Nina 55’.

The new Senecio plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact, upright and uniformly mounding Senecio plants with a freely-branching habit and numerous attractive inflorescences.

The new Senecio plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in March, 2017 of a proprietary selection of Senecio cruentus identified as code designation S12-90-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Senecio cruentus identified as code designation 15BonS-53-3, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Senecio plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in February, 2018.

Asexual reproduction of the new Senecio plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since October, 2019 has shown that the unique features of this new Senecio plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Senecio have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sene Nina 55’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sene Nina 55’ as a new and distinct Senecio plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and uniformly mounded plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Daisy-type inflorescences with ray florets that are purplish         red in color and white towards the base forming a central ring.

Plants of the new Senecio can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Senecio differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of the new Senecio are purplish red in color and white towards the base forming a central ring whereas ray florets of plants of the female parent selection are solid purplish red in color.

Plants of the new Senecio can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Senecio differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of the new Senecio are purplish red in color and white towards the base forming a central ring whereas ray florets of plants of the male parent selection are salmon in color and white towards the base forming a central ring.

Plants of the new Senecio can also be compared to plants of Senecio cruentus ‘Sunseneyona’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,304. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Senecio differ from plants of ‘Sunseneyona’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Senecio have narrower leaves than plants of         ‘Sunseneyona’.     -   2. Plants of the new Senecio are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Sunseneyona’.     -   3. Plants of the new Senecio differ from plants of ‘Sunseneyona’         in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of the new Senecio         are purplish red in color and white towards the base forming a         central ring whereas ray florets of plants of ‘Sunseneyona’ are         dark red purple in color becoming gradually lighter in color         towards the base.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Senecio plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Senecio plant.

The photograph on the first photographic sheet (FIG. 1 ) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sene Nina 55’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second photographic sheet (FIG. 2 ) is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Sene Nina 55’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the late winter/early spring in 24-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Senecio production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 10 C and night temperatures averaged 5 C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were six months old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Senecio cruentus ‘Sene Nina 55’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Senecio             cruentus identified as code designation S12-90-1, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Senecio             cruentus identified as code designation 15BonS-53-3, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at             temperatures about 18 C to 20 C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About four weeks at temperatures about 18 C to 20 C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color;             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact, upright and uniformly             mounded plant habit; daisy-type inflorescences positioned             above the foliar plane; vigorous growth habit; freely             branching habit with about eight primary branches each with             numerous secondary branches.         -   Plant height.—About 23.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 28.5 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 17.8 cm. Diameter: About             3 mm. Internode length: About 2.5 cm. Strength: Strong.             Aspect: Mostly upright to somewhat outwardly. Texture:             Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 137B.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 5.4 cm. Width: About 5.75 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Cordate. Margin: Crenate to serrate; moderately             undulate. Texture and luster, upper surface: Sparsely             pubescent; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Densely             pubescent; rough; matte. Venation pattern: Pinnate;             reticulate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close             to 137C. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137D.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A;             venation, close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 138A; venation, close to 138B. Leaf             petioles: Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 2.9 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 138B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescences with elliptic-shaped             ray florets; inflorescences arising from upper leaf axils             and positioned above the foliar plane on strong peduncles;             disc and ray florets developing acropetally on a capitulum;             inflorescences face mostly upright to slightly outwardly;             freely flowering habit with about 70 inflorescences             developing per plant during the flowering season.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Senecio begin             flowering about 22 weeks after planting; plants flower             continuously from winter to late spring in Japan;             inflorescences maintain good substance for about two weeks;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 1.75 cm. Diameter: About             7.9 mm. Shape: Globose. Color: Close to 71A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7 cm. Depth (height):             About 2.5 cm. Disc diameter: About 1 cm.         -   Receptacles.—Diameter: About 7.2 mm. Height: About 1.5 mm.             Color: Close to 138B.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 14 per             inflorescence arranged in a single whorl. Length: About             2.3 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acute.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire, not undulate. Aspect:             Initially upright, then horizontal; flat. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Darker than 61A; towards the base, close to NN155D.             When opening, lower surface: Close to 60C. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 61A; towards the base, close to             NN155D; venation, similar to lamina colors; color does not             change with subsequent development. Fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 60C; venation, close to 60C; color does             not change with subsequent development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 125. Length:             About 7.6 mm. Diameter, at apex: About 1.5 mm. Diameter, at             base: About 0.7 mm. Shape: Tubular; apex dentate,             five-pointed. Texture: Pubescent. Color, immature: Close to             71A. Color, mature: Close to 61A.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity and arrangement: About twelve per             inflorescence arranged in a single whorl. Length: About             2 mm. Width: About 1.7 mm. Shape: Lanceolate; moderately             recurved. Apex: Narrowly acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: Close to 138B. Color, lower surface: Close to             138A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright to outwardly.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 138A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Filament length: About 2.7 mm. Filament color: Close             to 145D. Anther size: About 1 mm by 1.5 mm. Anther shape:             Narrowly ellipsoidal. Anther color: Close to N79B. Pollen             amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 4A. Gynoecium:             Present on both ray and disc florets. Pistil length: About             6.5 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to             150B. Style color: Close to 144B. Ovary color: Close to             144B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Senecio. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Senecio have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Senecio plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Senecio have been observed     to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 0 C to about 30 C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Senecio plant named ‘Sene Nina 55’ as illustrated and described. 